U.S. Rep. Pat Meehan investigates Horsham VA clinic

U.S. Rep. Pat Meehan, R-7, shakes hands with Russ Davidson, Commander of VFW post 6393 in Yardley during his visit to the Victor J. Saracini Veteran Affairs Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Horsham Monday, June 16, 2014. Photo by Geoff Patton/21st Century Media News Service.

HORSHAM — U.S. Rep. Pat Meehan, R-7, visited the Victor J. Saracini Veteran Affairs Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Horsham June 16 to investigate why the clinic was recently named as a facility in need of further review by the VA Inspector General.

The Horsham VA was flagged by the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN 4) for further review after a nationwide audit. It’s listed as one of 10 VA clinics in the report that need to undergo further review, though specifics as to why further review was necessary were not listed.

“I’m here today because of my concerns, shared by many of my colleagues, of a report of excess of 60,000 veterans who are awaiting timely care from the system,” Meehan said. “So the question becomes what do we do on a national level? And the question becomes do we have any issues of concern here in our backyard? So I wanted to come to the Horsham clinic where we have an opportunity to have collaborative care. An awful lot is done here also, in concert with our Philadelphia system.”

Meehan said he spoke with veterans at the facility, as well as staff members and members of the facility’s administration at both Horsham and in Philadelphia, to see why the IG is putting extra “scrutiny” on the two facilities.

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“After having walked through and spoken to a number of people in the facility, we will await that kind of scrutiny,” he said. “And as is my history with regard to the background, I wait for the facts before drawing conclusions. But let me say that in my conversations, there certainly is a belief by those who oversee this facility, that any kinds of concerns, which would be registered, would not go to really accurate, timely provision of care, or the quality of the care. But some of the anomalies may relate to incorrect book keeping and making sure that they get a complex system consistent.”

Meehan said he talked to his own staff members who work with veterans’ affairs across the region to find out if they were seeing or hearing any reports of inadequate care or untimely care. He said overall the reports have been that the care has been timely and adequate. He also spoke with veterans and staff members to see if they had any complaints or concerns.

“Either a whistle blower, who believes they have information that they have been told to keep quiet,” he said, “or a veteran who has a particular concern. We are here to look into it for them and to get to the bottom of it. And if in fact there is information that we should know about, I can get to the Congress and get oversight on it.”

Meehan stressed the need to deliver timely care to veterans and said if it is not delivered within 14 days, that veterans can seek treatment outside the system and be compensated for that care. He said he hoped this process would bring about a “rededication” to making sure timely care is brought to veterans.

Mike DeBonis, a veteran of VFW Yardley Post 6393, said he and his fellow veterans came in support of the Horsham clinic, because they believed the treatment they’ve received and staffing at the facility has been wonderful.

“We took our time, we made an effort to come up here with the congressman and the director of the VA hospital,” he said, “to let them know this is a wonderful, wonderful place to come for great veteran health care.”

DeBonis said he receives care at the clinic for all of his needs, including medication and blood work, but travels to the Philadelphia facility for any particular treatment not available at the Horsham facility.

Veterans Rick Sowden, of Yardley, and David Thompson, of Horsham, said they were shocked to learn the Horsham facility had been flagged.

“I’ve had nothing but positive experiences in the year and a half that I’ve been coming here,” Sowden said. “I contacted this office this morning to talk to my doctor and got a call back in 45 minutes. I called my psychiatrist here and had her call me back within minutes. My experience has been very positive.”

Both men said despite the Horsham facility making the list, they weren’t too concerned at this point.

“I think they’re looking at a lot of facilities,” Thompson said. “I don’t know if that exactly makes it a hit list. The problem I think is nationwide. Phoenix has opened up everybody’s eyes.”

“I don’t think it’s a problem,” Sowden said. “I don’t think of it as a problem for us because I know that the care I’ve gotten here is so good. It concerns me because [Horsham is] getting a bad name for something that they’re not doing. This is a good group of people. They’re very supportive. So they’re getting a bad name and they’re feeling like they’re getting slammed for something that was done somewhere else.”